In October 2003 the King’s Own Museum was informed of the discovery
of a body of a soldier of the 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Lancaster
Regiment, who had died on 1st July 1916, found in a field at Serre. The
brass ‘King’s Own’ shoulder titles were the only way of identifying the
soldier. In April 2004 he was buried with full military honours by
soldiers of the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment in the cemetery next to
the field in where he had lain for 87 years.

Items recovered from the soldier’s body including the brass shoulder
titles, tunic buttons, pocket knife, candles and a leather wallet
containing a handful of coins were presented to the museum. They remain
a moving reminder of the many soldiers that suffered the same fate.

Only a proportion of our collections
are on display at anyone time. Certain items are on loan for display
in other institutions. An appointment is required to consult any of
our collections which are held in store.